The great Greek physician and teacher Hippocrates (460 BC-370 BC) described several kinds of cancer, referring to them with the Greek word "carcinos", meaning crab or crayfish. This name comes from the appearance of the cut surface of a solid malignant tumor, with the "veins stretched out on all sides as the animal the crab has its feet, whence it derives its name."

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The Road Warrior

Those who know me know that I am no stranger to traffic school. My last session, in January, had to do with a disagreement with a camera perched on top of a traffic signal on my way home from work. I said, “The light was yellow.” Unfortunately the camera disagreed. Bad news, good news—that self same camera, while capturing an image of me in my big red Suburban perfectly, did not capture the cell phone held up to my left ear. I paid my dues and did my time, and I did not cheat on the test.

And so it was no surprise today, after only three hours on the road out of Cedar City, Utah headed towards Las Vegas, when I saw the flashing blue and white lights behind me, signaling me to pull over. I was six hundred miles into a nine hundred and seventy mile road trip transporting my father, and his Volvo, back from Colorado to San Diego. The officer said, “Ma’am, do you know how fast you were going?” I said, “I don’t know Officer, I think about 80?” He replied, “No ma’am. I clocked you at ninety miles an hour.” My father, in the passenger seat, piped up helpfully, “I thought you were going a little fast when you passed him.” When I passed him? Thanks, Dad. The officer looked at him, still a bit pale three months after open heart surgery at nearly 88, then at the heat shimmering up from the road and sighed. He said, “The speed limit in Nevada is 75. But I’m not going to give you a ticket today.” Since he had K9 Corps emblazoned on his uniform, I felt compelled to chat him up about his dog. He waved me on my way.

Between helping my daughter drive from Texas to Boston Memorial Day weekend, and now traveling from Colorado back to California, I figure I will have passed through seventeen states in three weeks—not bad for an old road warrior. It’s hard to stop and smell the flowers when you’re driving 500 miles a day. But last night, at a truck stop near Moab, Utah, I captured a perfect western sunset through the lens of an iPhone, the twin rain shelters over the pumps framing the darkened silhouette of the convenience store behind them. I was reminded of taking this same route nearly seven years ago with my then sixteen-year-old son. As we headed east from St. George on his first trip through the West, my son said to me, “Mom, now I see why this country is worth fighting for.” He was right. I think I’ll just slow down.

6 thoughts on “The Road Warrior”

Two words: Fuzz Buster
It will help. A little. I got three speeding tickets in the first two years of living out here in Ohio after moving from CA, land of the fellow Lead Foots! Then Bob bought me a radar detector and I learned to slow down a little to blend in with the locals (and also all the spots where the cops like to hang out on my commute routes). Now, I have been ticket-free since those first three. Knock on wood!!!!

Amy, I had a radar detector when I was in Massachusetts, but was told they are illegal in California. Most of the time, my day to day drive is so short, I wouldn’t need one. But I agree, they are EXTREMELY effective! M

Not to be a total prude, but I think fuzzbusters should be illegal everywhere AND I think that police should hand out more tickets for speeding (to me as well as everyone else).

I earned my living by driving on the roads for decades. In the early years I did get a couple of tickets and since that time I have always been aware of the speed limit on any road I am driving. Which is not to say that I’m perfect but I really hate it when people speed recklessly, especially in built up areas.

I too have been a frequent ‘flyer’ no matter the vehicle. My best police moments were two. The first in my late twenties when driving my great aunt and uncle out for lunch (and feeling oh so important and grown up), I was nabbed for speeding – as the officer leaned in to talk to me my aunt piped up loudly and said “she’s a bad girl officer, isn’t she?”…argh. While I thought I would expire from mortification, the police officer chuckled away; and the second, in my forties, when feeling the oncoming of another IBS episode, I was racing to get home in time. Pulled over and in terrible discomfort, I told the policeman I didn’t think I could reach over to get the car registration and insurance information. I was so embarrassed. He thought for a minute and then told me to get home quickly but be safe about it. I think about him everytime I pass that same spot.